Pad-type painting tools have enjoined substantial commercial success for use in certain applications. For example, an average homeowner can use a pad-type applicator to paint trim and border areas with fewer mistakes than with a brush or roller. Shortly after pad-type applicators were developed, hollow handles having internally-threaded portions were added to accommodate extension poles by which these types of applicators could be used to paint higher hard-to-reach places.
Many pad-type applicators have a head portion on which the pad is mounted, and a handle. A painter's arm is reasonably articulable within his personal range of motion. The painter normally moves his arm in whatever direction is required to keep the pad surface pressed against the surface to be painted. While this is viable for lower painting areas (i.e., those within the painter's reach), when painting higher areas through use of an extension pole, it is sometimes difficult to keep the pad in area connect with the wall.
To this end, others have provided paint applicators with flexible connections between the head and handle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,268 discloses a pad-type applicator having a head and handle. The handle is pivotally mounted on the head, and is spring-biased to move toward one position. However, the extent of permissible movement between the head and handle is not adjustable, nor is the flexibility of the pivotal connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,816 discloses yet another pad-type applicator having a flexible connection between a head and handle. However, this reference does not appear to disclose means for limiting the extent of permissible relative movement between the head and handle, or means for varying the flexibility of the connection therebetween.
Accordingly, it would generally be desirable to provide an improved coating applicator having a flexible connection between the head and handle. The improved connection should limit the extent of relative movement between the head and handle and/or allow adjustment of the degree or extent of flexibility of the connection, in order that the improved tool may be better adapted to the personal characteristics of the painter, and the location of the surface to be coated.